Doorless passbox for x-ray cassettes and the like

ABSTRACT

A passbox between light and dark rooms for X-ray cassettes or the like. A plurality of slots are provided in the common wall between the light and dark rooms, each slot of sufficient dimensions for an X-ray cassette or the like to be passed completely through the slot from the light room to the dark room. A suitable material including tough resilient fibers extends from one or both walls of each slot across the slot in sufficient volume to form a light seal. The fibers are sufficiently stiff to form the light seal in the absence of an object located in the slot and yet smooth, strong and flexible enough to be pushed aside to permit an object such as an X-ray cassette or the like to pass through the slot and then to return to its original light tight position.

United States Patent 1 Clayton DOORLESS PASSBOX FOR X-RAY CASSETTES ANDTHE LIKE Inventor: Ralph s. Clayton, 3044 Fillmore Ave., El Paso, Tex.79930 Dec. 4, 1973 Primary Examiner.lohn M. Horan AttorneyRoberts B.Larson et a1.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A passbox between light and dark rooms for X-raycassettes or the like. A plurality of slots are provided in the commonwall between the light and dark rooms, each slot of sufficientdimensions for an X-ray cassette or the like to be passed completelythrough the slot from the light room to the dark room. A suitablematerial including tough resilient fibers extends from one or both wallsof each slot across the slot in sufficient volume to form a light seal.The fibers are sufficiently stiff to form the light seal in the absenceof an object located in the slot and yet smooth, strong and flexibleenough to be pushed aside to permit an object such as an X-ray cassetteor the like to pass through the slot and then to return to its originallight tight position.

11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIED DEC 41m SHEET 2 BF 2 @WWTW m n m.almgagmmmm mm m us 6 A LIGHT SIDE ' DOORLESS PASSBOX FOR X-RAY CASSETTESAND THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION partment of a hospital or inthe office of the radiologist,

the physical facilities must include a room in which the X-rays aretaken, commonly referred to as-the light room, and an adjacent dark roomin which the X-rays are developed. A means is then provided for passingthe X-ray cassettes from the light room to the dark. room and vice versawithout allowing the light from the light room to pass to the dark room.

A conventional X-ray cassette passbox used for this purpose is a rathercomplicated arrangement comprising two large passageways, one forpassing cassettes containing exposed X-ray film from the light room tothe dark room, and the other for passing cassettes containing unexposedX-ray film from the dark room back to the light room. A door is providedat each "end of each passage, i.e. a total of four doors. To preventlight from accidentally passing from the light room to the darkroom, thearrangement includes a complicated interlock which interlocks the fourdoors such that only one door of the four can be opened at any giventime.

This arrangement suffers several disadvantages. Firstly, it is quitecomplex. Secondly, it may be quite inconvenient and inflexible in use.For example, if the technician in the dark room opened either of the twodoors to receive exposed cassettes or insert an unexposed cassette inthe appropriate passage or if he forgot to close the door, thetechnologist in the light room could not open the appropriate door atthat end to obtain an unexposed cassette from one passageway or toinsert an unexposed cassette in the other passageway.

Other arrangements in X-ray cassette passboxes are known, but all ofthese have in common the disadvantage of rather complex arrangements forpreventing the accidental passage of light from the light'room to thedark room.

Thus, there exists a need for a new and improved simplified passbox forX-ray cassettes and the like which is both simplified and whichovercomes the disadvantages of existing passboxes.

SUMMARY THE INVENTION Thus, it is a purpose of the present invention toprovide a new and improved passbox between a light room and a dark roomfor X-ray cassettes or the like.

This purpose of the present invention is achieved by providing, in lieuof the complicated arrangement known heretofore, a simple slot or aplurality of slots open and completely through the common wall betweenthe light room and the dark room, the slot or each of the plurality ofslots having formed therein ribers arranged to extend across the slotopening to form a light seal. The fibers, which may be natural orplastic fibers, etc., would be sufficiently stiff to form a light sealbetween the light and dark rooms in their relaxed condition, i.e. in theabsence of an object such as an X-ray cassette or the like located inthe slot. Concurrently, the fibers would be sufficiently smooth andflexible for an object such as an X-ray cassette or the like to push thefibers aside to be passed through the slot while still maintaining thelight tight seal therein, after which the fibers would return to theirrelaxed state to form a light seal. Heretofore, light seals used inphotographic holders have used natural material such as wool plush.However, since resilience and smoothness are preferred in the presentinvention, long individual synthetic fibers would be preferred. Anexample would be teflon or teflon coated fibers since they would providethe necessary smoothness.

In a preferred arrangement, a plurality, for example ten or twenty slotscan be arranged adjacent each other, arranged either horizontally orvertically in the common walldividing the light and dark rooms. Thethickness of the slot, that is the distance from the entrance opening inone room to the exit opening in the next room would be less than thedimension of the X-ray cassette in that direction. However, it would begreat enough to assure that there were sufficient fibers therein toprovide a light tight sea] at all times.

The above described arrangement will not only vastly simplify thepassbox structure, but it will also permit a far more convenientsimplified mode of operation. The structure is vastly simplified becausethe complicated arrangement of interlocked doors or the like iscompletely eliminated. The arrangement is far more simple and convientto operate since there is no unnecessary waiting while doors are locked.The radiologist or technician in the light room, after exposing a filmwould simply place it into a slot such that it projects out into thedark room. The technician in the dark room would simply pull out theexposed cassette to develop the same. At the same time, several slotscould be allocated and labeled strictly for unexposed cassettes. Forexample, one slot can be allocated and labeled for a cassette of eachsize. The technician in the dark room, after preparing an unexposedX-ray cassette would simply place it into the appropriate slot such thatit projects out into the light room, and the light room technician orradiologist could simply reach for the appropriate cassette as herequired it. Meanwhile, the technician in the darkroom, seeing that anunexposed cassette has been pulled out (since it will no longer projectout into the dark room) will replace the same. This is in contrast tothe previously described arrangement in which cassettes of all differentsizes were placed up against each other in the passageway allocated tounexposed cassettes and the dark room technician really had no way ofknowing which cassette was pulled out for use in the light room exceptby occasionally opening the door to that passage and examining the pileof unexposed cassettes therein.

Thus, it is a purpose of the present invention to pro vide a new andimproved passbox for passage of X-ray cassettes or the like betweenlight and dark rooms.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and, improvedpassbox of the type described which is far more simplified than knownpassboxes.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improvedpassbox of the type described which is more simple and convenient tooperate than previously known passboxes.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improvedpassbox of the type described in which doors and other complicatedstructures are eliminated and are replaced by a simple slot or aplurality of slots located in the common wall between the light and darkrooms, each slot including a light sealing fiber material therein whichforms a light seal both in the absence and the presence of an objectsuch as an X-ray cassette located in the slot.

Other objects and the advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description to follow, together with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS There follows a detailed descriptionof preferred embodiments of the invention to be read together with theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a passbox con structed inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showinganother embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6A, 6B, and 6C are vertical sectional views of a single slot takenalong line 66 of FIG. 5, each view enlarged and each showing a differentfiber construction which can be used in the embodiment of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to thefigures, like elements are represented by like numerals throughout theseveral views.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, and in particular to FIG. 1, there isshown a typical environment in which an X-ray cassette would be usedincluding a light room and a dark room divided by a common wall 16. Acutout in this wall approximately 18 inches in height and 20 inchesacross has located therein an X-ray passbox 10. The passbox 10 includesa plurality of vertical divider panels 11 forming between them slots 12.A top plate 14 is provided above the slots and a bottom ledge 15 isprovided beneath the slots. In the illustrated embodiment, the slots areapproximately 18 inches in length or height, one inch in width, that isacross the slots and 6 inchs in depth, that is in the directionperpendicular to the plane of wall 16. With slots constructed in thismanner, it would be contemplated to use cassettes which arethree-quarters of an inch in thickness and which vary in size including8 inches X 10 inches, 12 inches X 10 inches, 1 1 inches X 14 inches and14 inches X 17 inches. Since both dimensions of the cassettes aregreater than 6 inches, it follows that any cassette which is passedthrough a slot will always project out one side or the other or bothsides of the slot. Two such cassettes 30 are shown in FIG. 3.

The ledge 15 is constructed to extend from the passbox into the tworooms 15 a sufficient distance to support any X-ray cassettes located inthe slots and projecting out to one side or the other. If the side ofthe passbox'facing the light room is not shielded from an X-ray source,a suitable X-ray curtain such as element 25 may be suitably placed infront of the passbox of this side thereof, suspended from a pivotconnection 26 in the top plate 14.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of FIG. 2 showing a single slot 12. In eachslot there is provided a plurality of fibers l3'extending from both theadjacent surfaces of adjacent side panels 11, these fibers overlappingeach other to provide a good light seal in the absence of an objectlocated in the slot. While the fibers must be sufficiently stiff toretain this light tight seal, they must also be sufficiently smooth andflexible to be pushed aside from either side thereof. Such fibers maytake the form of a plastic fuzz, i.e. a plurality of plastic fibers orperhaps Teflon fibers. In any event, as these fibers project out fromthe divider panels 11 into the slots, they may also turn downwardlyunder the force of gravity as shown in FIG. 4. To prevent light frompassing through a small passage at the top of the slot, there may beprovided a suitable front top cover plate 19 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2or fuzz extending down from top surface of slot.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show another embodiment of the invention. In thisembodiment, like numerals represent like elements as the embodiments ofFIGS. 1 through 5 except that in this embodiment, the numerals have beenincreased by 100. The main difference in the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and6 is that the slots are arranged horizontally rather than vertically.The passbox 110 includes a top plate 114 and a bottom plate or ledge115. However, in this case since the cassettes do not rest on ledge 15,it need not project out beyond the edges of the slots themselves.However, if the side of the passbox 110 facing the light room is exposedto an X-ray source, it would still be desirable to project the top plate1 14 out into this room and to attach a suitable X-ray shield 25 to theend of plate 114.

Passbox 110 includes a plurality of divider panels 1 1 l forming slots112. The dimensions of these slots are the same as in the embodiment ofFIGS. 1 through 5 except, of course, turned The embodiment of FIG. 5 mayinclude precisely the same arrangement of fibers 13 as shown in FIG. 4,that it with fibers extending upwardly and downwardly from each surfaceof each divider panel 1 1 l forming a given slot. However, thehorizontal arrangement of the slots 112 in FIG. 5 provides anopportunity to construct the fibers 113 somewhat differently as shown inFIGS. 6A through 6C as fibers 113A, 1138, and 113C.

In all of FIGS. 6A-6C, the fibers are shown as being attached to onlythe top divider panel 111, the fibers extending down to the bottomdivider panel 111 of each slot. In one arrangement, the fibers may be ofa length greater than the width of the slot. In this case, they would bebent in the direction of travel of the cassette through the slot. Forexample, when using such fibers, one would use fibers 113A oriented asshown in FIG. 6A for those slots used for passing cassettes from thelight room to the dark room and fibers 113B oriented as shown in FIG. 6Bfor the transmission of cassettes or the like from the dark room to thelight room. Alternatively, all fibers can be constructed such that theyjust reach the bottom divider panel 111 as shown at 113C in FIG. 6C. Inthis case, of course the same construction would be used for all slotsregardless of the intended direction of travel of the cassettestherethrough.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail withrespect to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that theinvention is capable of numerous modifications and variations apparentto those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention.

1 claim:

1. A structure including a passbox for handling X-ray cassettes or thelike comprising, in combination:

a light room, a photographic dark room, and a com-; mon wall dividingthe light room and the dark room, and an arrangement for passing X-raycassette plates or the like through the common wall between the tworooms while always preventing the light of the light room from enteringthe dark room,

said arrangement comprising a plurality of slots formed in the commonwall and passing completely therethrough, each saidslot formed by apair-of generally parallel divider panels having facing surfacesextending generally perpendicular to the common wall to define saidslot, the length of the slot, which isthe dimension taken in a planeparallel to the panel surfaces and perpendicular to the wall being threeto nine inches, and the width of the slot which is the perpendiculardistance between the said panel surfaces being'at least three-fourthsinch, a plurality of elongated fibers fixed to at least one of saidpanels and extending acrossthe width of the slot to completly close theslot to form a light tight trap preventing light from passing from thelight room to the dark room, said fibers being sufficiently stiff tomaintain their position across the slot to preserve the said lighttightness of the slot in the absence of an object located in the slot,and said fibers being sufficiently resilient to' moveaside to permit anobject such as an X-ray cassette or the like to pass through the slotwhile still maintaining the slot in a light tight condition, the bottomsurface of each slot including a horizontal portion fixed with respectto the common wall and extending in the direction perpendicular to thecommon wall a sufiicient distance to provide a surface on which an X-raycassette or the like can rest as it is located in the slot.

2. A passbox according to claim 1, saidplurality of said slots arrangedadjacent each other in said common wall.

3. A passbox according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of slots arearranged side by side with their lengths extending vertically, andwherein in each slot the fibers extend out from both panels towards theother panel, the two sets of fibers overlappingin the center of theslot.

4. A passbox according to claim 3, and said horizontal portion is ahorizontal ledge immediately beneath all of the slots extending from thetwo ends of the slots out into the light room and into the darkroom,respectively, to provide said surface on which the X-ray cassettes orthe like can rest as they are located in the slots.

5. A passbox according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of slots arearranged one above the other with their said lengths extendinghorizontally.

6. A passbox according to claim 5, wherein in each slot the fibers areconnected only to the upper panel of each slot and extend downwardlyinto engagement with the lower panel surface of that slot.

7. A passbox according to claim 6, said fibers being relatively softsuch that they are of sufficient thickness to extend downwardly acrossthe slots with the assistance of gravity.

8. A passboxaccording to claim 2, including an X-ray shield curtainshielding the light side of the slots from Xrays in the light room. 1

9. A passbox according to claim'2, each slot being about 18 inches inlength and one inch in width.

10. A passbox for X-ray cassettes or the like comprising in combination:

a light room, a photographic-dark room, and a common wall dividing thelight room and the dark room, and an arrangement for passing X-raycassette plates or the like through the common wall between the tworooms while always preventing the light of the light room from enteringthe dark room,

said arrangement comprising a plurality of adjacent slots formed in thecommon wall and passing completely therethrough, each slot formed by apair of generally parallel divider panels having facing surfacesextending generally perpendicular to the common wall to define saidslot, the length of the slot which is the dimension taken in a planeparallel to the panel surfaces and perpendicular to the wall and thewidth of the slot which is the perpendicular distance between the saidpanel surfaces being sufficiently large. for an X-ray cassette or thelike to pass therethrough,

aplurality of elongated fibers fixed to at least one of said panels andextending across the width of the slot to form a light tight trappreventing light from passing from the light room to thedark room, saidfibers being sufficiently stiff to maintain their position across theslot to preserve the light tightness of the slot in the absence of anobject located in the slot, and said fibers being sufficiently resilientto move aside to permitan object such as an X-ray cassette orthe like topass through the slot while still maintaining the slot in a light tightcondition,

said plurality of slots being arranged side by side with their lengthsextending vertically, and wherein in each slot the fibers extend outfrom both panels towards the other panel, the two sets of fibersoverlapping in the center of the slot, and wherein the slots areapproximately three to nine inches taken in the direction perpendicularto the common wall, and including a horizontal ledge immediately beneathall of the slots extending from the two ends of the slots out into thelight room and into the dark room, respectively, to provide a surface onwhich the X-ray cassettes or the like can rest as they are located inthe slots.

11. A passbox for X-ray cassettes or the like comprising, incombination:

a light room, a photographic dark room, and a common wall dividing thelight room and the dark room, and an arrangement for passing X-raycassette plates or the like through the common wall between the tworooms while always preventing the light of the light room from enteringthe dark room,

said arrangement comprising a plurality of adjacent slots formed in thecommon wall and passing completely therethrough, each slot formed by apair of generally parallel divider panels having facing sur facesextending generally perpendicular to the common wall to define saidslot, the length of the fibers being sufficiently stiff to maintaintheir position across the slot to preserve the light tightness of theslot in the absence of an object located in the slot, said fibers beingsufficiently resilient to move aside to permit an object such as anX-ray cassette or the like to pass through the slot while stillmaintaining the slotin a light tight condition,

and including an X-ray shield curtain shielding the light side of theslots from X-rays in the light room.

1. A structure including a passbox for handling X-ray cassettes or thelike comprising, in combination: a light room, a photographic dark room,and a common wall dividing the light room and the dark room, and anarrangement for passing X-ray cassette plates or the like through thecommon wall between the two rooms while always preventing the light ofthe light room from entering the dark room, said arrangement comprisinga plurality of slots formed in the common wall and passing completelytherethrough, each said slot formed by a pair of generally paralleldivider panels having facing surfaces extending generally perpendicularto the common wall to define said slot, the length of the slot, which isthe dimension taken in a plane parallel to the panel surfaces andperpendicular to the wall being three to nine inches, and the width ofthe slot which is the perPendicular distance between the said panelsurfaces being at least three-fourths inch, a plurality of elongatedfibers fixed to at least one of said panels and extending across thewidth of the slot to completly close the slot to form a light tight trappreventing light from passing from the light room to the dark room, saidfibers being sufficiently stiff to maintain their position across theslot to preserve the said light tightness of the slot in the absence ofan object located in the slot, and said fibers being sufficientlyresilient to move aside to permit an object such as an X-ray cassette orthe like to pass through the slot while still maintaining the slot in alight tight condition, the bottom surface of each slot including ahorizontal portion fixed with respect to the common wall and extendingin the direction perpendicular to the common wall a sufficient distanceto provide a surface on which an X-ray cassette or the like can rest asit is located in the slot.
 2. A passbox according to claim 1, saidplurality of said slots arranged adjacent each other in said commonwall.
 3. A passbox according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of slotsare arranged side by side with their lengths extending vertically, andwherein in each slot the fibers extend out from both panels towards theother panel, the two sets of fibers overlapping in the center of theslot.
 4. A passbox according to claim 3, and said horizontal portion isa horizontal ledge immediately beneath all of the slots extending fromthe two ends of the slots out into the light room and into the darkroom, respectively, to provide said surface on which the X-ray cassettesor the like can rest as they are located in the slots.
 5. A passboxaccording to claim 2, wherein said plurality of slots are arranged oneabove the other with their said lengths extending horizontally.
 6. Apassbox according to claim 5, wherein in each slot the fibers areconnected only to the upper panel of each slot and extend downwardlyinto engagement with the lower panel surface of that slot.
 7. A passboxaccording to claim 6, said fibers being relatively soft such that theyare of sufficient thickness to extend downwardly across the slots withthe assistance of gravity.
 8. A passbox according to claim 2, includingan X-ray shield curtain shielding the light side of the slots fromX-rays in the light room.
 9. A passbox according to claim 2, each slotbeing about 18 inches in length and one inch in width.
 10. A passbox forX-ray cassettes or the like comprising in combination: a light room, aphotographic dark room, and a common wall dividing the light room andthe dark room, and an arrangement for passing X-ray cassette plates orthe like through the common wall between the two rooms while alwayspreventing the light of the light room from entering the dark room, saidarrangement comprising a plurality of adjacent slots formed in thecommon wall and passing completely therethrough, each slot formed by apair of generally parallel divider panels having facing surfacesextending generally perpendicular to the common wall to define saidslot, the length of the slot which is the dimension taken in a planeparallel to the panel surfaces and perpendicular to the wall and thewidth of the slot which is the perpendicular distance between the saidpanel surfaces being sufficiently large for an X-ray cassette or thelike to pass therethrough, a plurality of elongated fibers fixed to atleast one of said panels and extending across the width of the slot toform a light tight trap preventing light from passing from the lightroom to the dark room, said fibers being sufficiently stiff to maintaintheir position across the slot to preserve the light tightness of theslot in the absence of an object located in the slot, and said fibersbeing sufficiently resilient to move aside to permit an object such asan X-ray cassette or the like to pass through the slot while stillmaIntaining the slot in a light tight condition, said plurality of slotsbeing arranged side by side with their lengths extending vertically, andwherein in each slot the fibers extend out from both panels towards theother panel, the two sets of fibers overlapping in the center of theslot, and wherein the slots are approximately three to nine inches takenin the direction perpendicular to the common wall, and including ahorizontal ledge immediately beneath all of the slots extending from thetwo ends of the slots out into the light room and into the dark room,respectively, to provide a surface on which the X-ray cassettes or thelike can rest as they are located in the slots.
 11. A passbox for X-raycassettes or the like comprising, in combination: a light room, aphotographic dark room, and a common wall dividing the light room andthe dark room, and an arrangement for passing X-ray cassette plates orthe like through the common wall between the two rooms while alwayspreventing the light of the light room from entering the dark room, saidarrangement comprising a plurality of adjacent slots formed in thecommon wall and passing completely therethrough, each slot formed by apair of generally parallel divider panels having facing surfacesextending generally perpendicular to the common wall to define saidslot, the length of the slot which is the dimension taken in a planeparallel to the panel surfaces and perpendicular to the wall and thewidth of the slot which is the perpendicular distance between the saidpanel surfaces being sufficiently large for an X-ray cassette or thelike to pass therethrough, a plurality of elongated fibers fixed to atleast one of said panels and extending across the width of the slot toform a light tight trap preventing light from passing from the lightroom to the dark room, said fibers being sufficiently stiff to maintaintheir position across the slot to preserve the light tightness of theslot in the absence of an object located in the slot, said fibers beingsufficiently resilient to move aside to permit an object such as anX-ray cassette or the like to pass through the slot while stillmaintaining the slot in a light tight condition, and including an X-rayshield curtain shielding the light side of the slots from X-rays in thelight room.